


For A Moment, I Felt So Afraid

by BetterThanAllTheRest



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: (eventually) - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Coming Out, David Rose is a Good Person, Falling In Love, Getting Together, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Patrick Brewer, Rated E for future chapters, Sexting, Sexuality Crisis, Texting, and also, but David is There to Help, lots of confusing feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:08:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28911363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BetterThanAllTheRest/pseuds/BetterThanAllTheRest
Summary: While facing a particularly tough night of head-spinning thoughts regarding his sexuality, Patrick reaches out to a text line where he's connected to none other than David Rose.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 14
Kudos: 70





	For A Moment, I Felt So Afraid

460-000  
  
**Patrick:** PRIDE  
  
**David:** Thank you for contacting us at PRIDE Mental Health Services, a hotline dedicated to connecting members of the LGBTQIA+ community over the age of 18 to people just like them. If you're in immediate danger, please text 'STOP' and call 911 or visit your local emergency room. Everything you say will be kept safe in compliance with our confidentially guidelines. My name is David, how may I help you tonight?  
  
**Patrick:** Are you sure I'm connected to a "real person" because that paragraph felt pretty automated to me.  
  
**David:** I promise you are, all volunteers are required by law to state said paragraph before engaging in conversation  
  
**Patrick:** Ahh, legal; I've had to deal with them quite a bit myself   
  
**Patrick:** I'm a business major, I swear I'm not a mass murderer or anything   
  
**David:** Well, I am relieved. Where did you get your degree?   
  
**Patrick:** I got my MBA seven years ago from the University of Toronto   
  
**David:** That's amazing! I dropped out of college two years in, but I'm happy to hear your experience presumably was better than mine. Where do you work?  
  
**Patrick:** I fled my family in Toronto after cutting off an engagement with my now ex-fiancé—I proposed, may I add—so now I'm working out of a very obnoxious and disruptive man's home and I also happen to pay rent in lieu of living with him. He's a little too nice for me sometimes.   
  
**David:** He sounds like my worst nightmare, I need my peace and quiet to properly function  
  
**David:** Is that why you texted, because you ran away?  
  
**Patrick:** Well, when you put it like that, it juvenilises the situation, but partially, yes  
  
**David:** What do you mean "partially"?  
  
**Patrick:** You like to ask a lot questions  
  
**David:** I'm here to help, of course, I'm just going to need a bit more information to truly give you the proper attention  
  
**Patrick:** You're gay, right?   
  
**Patrick:** I'm sorry, it was not morally correct of me to automatically make that assumption, so let me rephrase: do you label yourself with a sexual identity other than straight?  
  
**David:** I'm pansexual :)  
  
**Patrick:** With all due respect, I've never heard of pansexuality before. What is it, if you don't mind me asking?  
  
**David:** I don't mind at all, and I like to describe it as liking the wine, not the label  
  
**Patrick:** That makes sense  
  
**Patrick:** How did you know you were pan? (Can I abbreviate it, I'm not sure?)  
  
**David:** Yes, you can, and I always knew I wasn't solely attracted to woman. Growing up, I had a few crushes on men here and there, but gender was never a deciding factor in whether or not I'd date someone, and it still isn't; if you're a good person, I'm willing to give you a chance  
  
**Patrick:** I think I might be gay, but it feels stupid to be going through such a life-altering revelation this late in the game  
  
**David:** What's made you interested in exploring your sexuality?  
  
**Patrick:** When I arrived in this new town, I realised I have the opportunity to be anyone I want, I don't have to tie myself to the same girl I've been on and off with since junior year of high school any longer; I can explore other people. Knowing that, I've been checking out men more than I ever have previously (in a non-platonic way, too) and it feels... exhilarating, like I've been missing out on them for the last thirty-one years of my life  
  
**David:** Have you researched other labels outside of gay?  
  
**Patrick:** I haven't. I'm not sure I want to, though   
  
**David:** Why not?  
  
**Patrick:** It's already overwhelming and I'm worried if I fall down an internet spiral it'll just become more stressful, you know?  
  
**David:** Trust me, I do  
  
**David:** As helpful as it can be to label your sexuality, there's no pressure to. Unlabelled is just as valid as being bisexual, pansexual, a lesbian, a gay man, or any other label for that matter, but I understand wanting the comfort of having a definition for who you're attracted to  
  
**Patrick:** Thank you, David  
  
**David:** Of course! This may be my job, but I am volunteering my time and genuinely do love guiding people along on their journey to/with self discovery   
  
**Patrick:** Is there a way we could keep in touch? Or if I text again, can I request you? That probably sounds stalker-ish, but you're the first person I've fleshed any of this out to and it's quite reliving, actually   
  
**David:** My email is davidrose@pride.ca, feel free to shoot me a message whenever  
  
**David:** Before you go, I have to ask if you're feeling safe enough to get through the rest of the night  
  
**Patrick:** I am now that we talked  
  
**David:** That's the goal!  
  
**Patrick:** Wait… are you related to THE Johnny and Moira Rose or am I reaching?  
  
**David:** I am  
  
**Patrick:** I worked for you father in high school, branch 785 of Rose Video  
  
**David:** Really?! We do live in a small world, huh?  
  
**Patrick:** That we do  
  
**Patrick:** What made you decide to direct your time here?   
  
**David:** As magical as the rich life seems to the outsider, it's quite lonely, or at least my experience was very self-deprecative. I never had the support of my family or friends or myriad of exes, so I thought I'd make myself a pillar of safety for others who don't have a judgement-free space, either  
  
**Patrick:** I'm sorry  
  
**David:** Don't be  
  
**David:** Goodnight, Patrick  
  
**Patrick:** Goodnight, David, I'll send you an email in the morning  
  
**David:** I look forward to hearing from you :)   
  


**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't sure how to label the messages for those who are viewing without the work skin, but just know David is texting Patrick through the hotline and **NOT** through his personal number... yet 😉


End file.
